Hinge construction



June 3, 1958 E. M. REESER HINGE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 11. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

June 1958 E. M.'REESER HINGE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 11, 1953 United Sta-r 2,837,293 Patented June 3, 1958 HINGE CONSTRUCTION Esral M. Reeser, Burlington, Iowa, assignor to J. I. Case Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application March 11, 1953, Serial No. 341,743

Claims. (Cl. 198-204) This invention relates to elevators employed to convey grain, unshelled corn, and baled hay into elevator bins or lofts of farm buildings and the like.

This invention pertains especially to a novelarrangement to hinge the adjustable side sheets to the conveyor trough, so as to accommodate the elevator to various crops.

An object of this invention is to provide a hinge construction that is simple and economical to produce.

Another object is to provide a hinge for elevator side sheets that has a minimum of bearing surface surrounding the hinge pins.

Another objecct is to provide a hinge for use on elevators so as to permit quick disssembly of the side sheets.

Another object is to provide a hinge for elevator side sheets that will not fail to operate because of rusting or distortion of the hinge.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention.

The conventional piano-type or continuous hinge for pivoted side sheets is not entirely satisfactory when employed on equipment such as crop elevators, especially those implements that are allowed to remain outside and be exposed to the weather. The conventional piano-type hinge has a tendency to open, or unwrap from the hinge pin, if rusting has taken place, and because of its extreme length, trouble also arises because of distortion of the elevator body. The final result being to allow grain being conveyed, to leak through the openings and be lost.

Distortion of the elevator seriously affects the pianotype hinge in that it will refuse to pivot, and if forced will result in bending of the side sheet. hinge employs only short portions of actual hinges which are spaced at suitable intervals, the intermediatelong portions being merely used to stiffen the side sheets and provide a lateral support for the side sheets.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a typical portion of an elevator embracing the present invention and showing the side sheets in position for elevating shelled corn or grain.

Fig. 2 is a transverse slightly enlarged section of Fig. l with side sheets in position for elevating bales of hay or the like, and having the side sheets also dotted in, in position for conveying unshelled corn and similar crops.

Fig. 3 is a slightly enlarged fragmentary section taken at 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a slightly enlarged fragmentary section taken at 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the hinge proper.

Fig. 6 is a section taken at 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The present Referring to Fig. l, 10 is the channel-shaped body of the elevator which is made inconvenient short sections 11 and accommodates the lower run of a conveyor 12, the latter having the conventional chain 14 and flights 16, the latter being spaced along chain 14 at suitable distances. The sections are assembled to obtain an elevator of the desired length.

Body 10 has laterally extending flanges 18 and 20 which are turned downwardly at their outward edges and which flanges provide a seat for the components which are attached thereto.

A floor 22 extends the length of each section of the elevator and rests upon the flanges 18 and 20 as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The purpose of floor 22 is to provide a surface upon which flights 16 can travel and also to provide a leak-proof bottom to permit shelled corn and other grain to be elevated without loss. Floor 22 also serves, incidentally, to stifien the elevator body 1 bers together.

It is obvious from Figs. 1 and 2 that a vertical medial plane divides the elevator into two longitudinalsimilar right and left halves, therefore, only details pertinent to on side willbe described.

Lower hinge member 24 rests upon floor 22 and has a downwardly turned outward edge to prevent the entrance of rain into the joint between'the various members. A series of bolts 26 are spaced at intervals along the hinge member 24 as shown in Fig. 1. Bolts 26 pass through aligned holes in body 10, floor 22, and lower hinge member 24 in order to secure these three mem- Nuts 28 complete the assembly.

Lower hinge member 24 is provided with an upright portion 30 which terminates in a horizontal saddle 32 and an upwardly extending flange 34. It will be clear upon inspecting Fig. 1 that lower hinge member 24 extends co-extensively with each section 11 of body 10, each section being in abutting relation wtih an adjoining section, the ends being secured together as shown at 36. Hinge member 24 is provided with notches 38 at the midpoint of each section and end notches 40 at the-ends as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The purpose of notches 38 and 40 is to accommodate hinge connecting strips 42 which will be fully described later.

Side sheet 44 comprises a right angular member that is co-extensive with the section 11 of body 10 shown in Fig. 1. One edge of sheet 44 is provided with a hinge portion 46 formed cylindrically to accommodate a hinge pin 48 which is co-extensive with the section 11 of body 10. Hinge portion 46 is positioned so as to rest in the saddle 32 and against upwardly extending flange 34. This construction permits side sheet 44 to pivot in saddle portion 32 and against flange 34, the outer surface of portion 46 forming the bearing surface.

It is clear that to merely rest the hinge portion 46 in the saddle 32 would not serve to fix the side sheet in place against upward and inward displacement. The connecting strips 42 provide the actual hinge. Strip 42 is relatively short in comparison to the length of saddle 32' and comprises the sole hinge proper at the midpoint and at the ends of each section 11. When the sections 11 are assembled as in Fig. 1 the abutting notches of the adjoining sections 11 combine to form a notch of a length equal to connecting strip 32. Thus a hinge is provided at the middle and at each end of sections 11.

Connecting strip 42 conforms to hinge members 24 Y and extends upwardly through notch 38 at the middle, and abutting notches 40 at the ends of sections 11. Strip 42 terminates in a hinge portion 50 which surrounds the hinge pin 48 and comprises the actual hinge. The portion 50 is co-axial with the hinge portion 46, therefore, hinge to portion 46, it may refuse to rotate therein Howeven. this is immaterial -as hinge pin 48- would be freettoturn:

in portion 50 which is the actual hinge. If the pin should refuse to pivot in portion 50, a few drops oil would;

easily free it, owing to the shortness of the bearing sure face. not prevent the hinge portion 42 from operating asv a hinge, in that the latter is relatively short, and any resistance to turning of hinge pin 4-8 therein willbe. easily overcome.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the means 53 for securing the side sheets 44 in the :various positions. Thismeans comprises. a supporting men1ber54 secured at one end of each. of the various sections of body and comprise an arm 56 pivoted at 58 on a bracket 60. Arm 56 has a series of;

holes 62 to accommodate'a bolt 64. The bolt 64 can be inserted in any desired hole depending on the position of the side sheets 44.

Flange-plates 66 are bolted to the side sheets 44 at their juncture so as to provide a continuous leak-proof sheet for'the full'length of the elevator.

It will be evident that the inventor has, provided a. novel formof-hinge which is not open to the objections usually made tothe' full length piano-type hinge.

The abovebeing acomplete description of an illustrativev embodiment of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be: secured by Letters Patent of the. United States. is:

1. In an.elevatort comprising an elongated channelshaped body portion provided with an outwardly-extending flange, and. a floor. extending transversely of said body portionandsecured to said flange, an improvement comprising an. elongated hinge member co-extensive with said body portion and secured uprightly to said floor adjacent said flange, said hinge member provided with a saddle comprising ahorizontal portion and an adjoining vertical portion, an elongated side sheet having a rolled portionat theedge; thereof co-extensive with said hinge portion andgrestingqinsaid, saddle, said hinge member and said side sheet-provided with longitudinally spaced mutually-coextensive.openings in said saddle andsaid rolled portion, a removable hinge. connecting-strip independent of said hinge member andlfitted into saidopenings, secured to-said flange and. provided with a rolled portion co-axiallwith-zsaidfirst-mentioned rolled portion, saidconnecting-strip securedtto. said hinge'member, and a hinge, pin co-extensive. with said body portion and passing throughsaid rolled portions of said side sheet and saidconnecting strip, maintaining. said rolled portions in co-axial relationship.

2. In anelevator comprising-an elongated body portion, an improvement. comprising an elongated hinge member co-eXtensive with said body portion and secured thereto, said hingemember provided with a co-extensive saddle having a transverse right-angular section, an elongated side sheet having a rolled portion forming the lower edge thereof resting in said saddle and co-extensivethere- It is also clear that distortion of pin 4? would.

. 4 with, said hinge member and said side sheet provided with longitudinally spaced mutually-co-extensive openings in said hinge member and said rolled portion, a removable hinge connecting-strip independent of said hinge member and fitted into said openings, secured to said body portion and provided with a rolled portion co-axial with said first-rnentioned rolled portion, and a hinge pin co-extensive with said body portion and passing through said rolled portions of said side, sheet and said connectingstrip to maintain said rolled portions in co-axial relationship.

3. In anelevator comprising an elongated body portion, and a fioorthereon, an improvement comprising a hinge member secured to said'fioor and having a saddle portion, an elongated side sheet havinga rolled portion forming one edge thereof and resting in said saddle, said hinge member and said side sheet provided with longitudinally spaced mutually-coextensive openings in said hingemember and, saidrolledportion, a removable hinge strip independent of said hinge. memberv and fitted in each of said openings, secured to said hinge member and provided with a rolled portion co-axial with said firstmentioned rolled, portion, andahinge pin co-extensive.

with .said side: sheet andiinsertedirrsaid rolled portions to maintain said side sheet in pivotal relation in said saddle and said hinge strip,

4. in angelevator having a floor, an improvement com-v prising a;hinge member secured'to said floor and having a saddle, assidesheet havinga rolled portion formed on one edge thereof, and resting in said saddle, said hinge memberandsaid rolled portion provided with mutuallyco-extensiveopeningna hingestrip fitted into each of said openings, removablysecured to said floor and independent ofsaid hinge member and provided with a rolled portion co-axial with said first-mentioned rolled portion, andahinge pin. inserted co-extensively with and through said rolled portions to retain-said side sheet in pivotal relation in, said saddle.

5. A-means of hinging a longitudinalmember to a body, comprising a longitudinal saddle of angular cross section onsaid body and co-extensive therewith, a rolled portion on said member, co-extensive therewith and resting in said saddle,-said rolled portion provided with relatively short spaced interruptions, hinge portions fitted into said interruptions removably secured to said body, independently thereof and having rolled portions, and a hinge pin passing through the-aggregate-of said rolled portions to maintain a co-axial relationship-between said rolled portions.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 387,886 Jones Aug. 14, 1888 537,844 Moore et a1 Apr, 23, 1895 1,056,734 Brown Mar. 18, 1913 2,095,227 Brown Oct. 12, 1937 2,356,434 Russell Aug. 22, 1944 OTHER REFERENCES Case Publication, Form A 808470, received June 28, 1950. 

